1. Field of the Invention
The invention presented here relates to a process and a machine for fastening objects previously arranged inside a box made of cardboard, corrugated cardboard, or a material made of similar sheets, having a square or rectangular cross-section.
The technical domain of the invention is that of packaging machines, manufacturing machines or machines for closing packages or manufacturing or implementing fastening materials for such packages.
The invention presented here is most particularly related to the positioning of a fastening material inside boxes used for the preparation of multi-item operations and most generally of boxes whose contents have a volume that is variable from one box to the other, where this fastening material has the function of immobilizing these contents during the later manipulations of the box, for example, until it is received by the addressee.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known that the boxes of this type are formed by machines from a panel made of sheet material consisting of different folding panels or flaps assembled by gluing or by adhesive tape.
Boxes are known which, after being formed, are composed of five sides, either a bottom of a square or rectangular shape and an enclosure wall composed of four lateral sides. The known boxes of this type are called xe2x80x9cAmerican half-boxesxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ctraysxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9copen boxes (caisses cloche)xe2x80x9d. These boxes are, after filling, closed by a cover. Covers are known which have four folding panels that are folded up and glued onto the sides of the box. Also, covers are known which have different previously shaped folding panels; these covers are inserted over the box and affixed to the box by gluing or by a metallic or plastic bond.
Boxes are known which, after forming, are composed of five sides, such as the boxes previously described, and of four upper folding panels. Each of these folding panels is connected to one of the lateral sides of the box by a folding line. The known boxes of this type are called xe2x80x9cAmerican boxesxe2x80x9d. These boxes are, after filling, closed by folding back the four upper sides that are held in position by gluing or by a metallic or plastic bond.
The boxes described above have the characteristic of providing a constant volume after manufacturing and closing.
Several mechanisms are employed by users or integrated in the machines for shaping and closing the boxes, in order to fasten the different objects whose number and unit volume varies from one box to the other.
Plastic thermo-retractable films (shrink-wraps) are known that have one or more sheets affixed with the bottom or the lateral sides of the box when it is formed. After filling the box, these films are folded back on the stack of objects and then retracted (shrunk) by passing through a heated tunnel.
Particles made of polystyrene are known which are spread on the inside of the box after filling, in order to fill the unused volume.
These manufacturing processes have numerous disadvantages because:
these fastening materials must be necessarily disconnected from the packaging carton before the collection and recycling of the corresponding waste materials; this collection is thus a complex and very expensive operation;
the materials used for fastening are themselves expensive; and
their implementation is difficult and makes necessary either complex automated machines, a large number of hours of labor; the cost of these operations is thus high.
Also known are shavings, particles, chipboard balls, etc., of paper, cardboard, or wood, which are, in various forms, arranged inside the boxes in order to fill the unused volume.
These manufacturing processes also have several disadvantages because:
the dosage of the distribution of these fastening materials, in a manner so as to exactly occupy the unused volume, is an operation that is difficult to automate which requires either complex automated machines or a large number of hours of labor; the cost of these operations is thus high; and
the collection of these materials after opening the package requires the gathering of a multitude of scattered elements and is thus an operation that is not very easy to do for the end user.
The problem posed thus consists in obtaining a mechanism for fastening the objects to the inside of the boxes used for the shipment of parcels whose useful volume is variable, and in making sure that this fastening mechanism and its implementation are not very expensive and generate a minimum of restrictions for those who create the packaging prior to shipment and for those who open the packaging upon receiving the parcel.
The solution to the problem posed consists in obtaining a process for inserting inside of a box composed of a bottom having a square or rectangular shape or approximately square or rectangular, and of at least four lateral sides, a cardboard sheet, corrugated cardboard or equivalent sheet material, this sheet put in contact with the upper surface of the stack of objects arranged in the box and then connected solidly to this box in a manner so as to ensure that the objects are fastened.
The process used in order to insert this sheet inside the box is characterized in that:
this sheet has a central part in the shape of a square or rectangle, or approximately square or rectangular, having dimensions that are approximately equivalent to those of the bottom of this box, in a manner so as to be able to be introduced into this box and moved in translation in a direction to the bottom of it;
this sheet consists of, around this central part, and on at least two of the two opposing sides, and preferably, on its four sides, at least one and preferably, several flexible folding panels;
this sheet is inserted and pushed into the box, in deforming it, if necessary, in a manner so that the inside of the central part comes in contact with stack of objects and approximately fits the shape of the upper surface of this stack of objects; and
these folding panels are folded up and affixed against the inner side of the lateral walls of the box, so as to create the solid fixation of the fastening sheet on these lateral walls and, as a result, the fastening of the objects housed in this box.
In a preferred embodiment mode of the process of the invention, on the lower side of the flexible folding panels, prior to introducing the fastening sheet of the box, one or more dots or beads of glue are arranged so as to create, after the introduction and the pushing of the fastening sheet into the box, the application of the flexible folding panels pasted against the internal side of the lateral walls of the box and the drying of the glue, a solid fixation of the fastening sheet on the lateral walls of the box.
In an advantageous embodiment mode, these folding panels of the sheet comprise one or more folding lines parallel to the joints of the folding panels relative to the central part of the sheet, these folding lines making it possible to reduce the surface of these folding panels applied against the four lateral sides of the box and to use the surface that is thus available in order to compensate for the increase of the surface of the central part of the sheet associated with its deformation when it is put in contact with the upper surface of the stack of objects.
According to another characteristic arrangement of the process of the invention, the fastening sheet is pressed at several points of the surface of its central part, against the upper surface of the objects housed in the box, in a manner so as to be deformed and to fit the shape of the upper surface.
Advantageously, these sheets are previously stored in the form of a stack of identical sheets arranged inside an inclined bin and the sheet located at the bottom part of this bin is unstacked individually by the action of a mobile plate equipped with suctions that are positioned so as to allow the sheet to be disconnected from the stack of sheets and to arrange the sheet on a horizontal plane made of several rails, and the arrangement of the dots or beads of glue on the lower side of each of the folding panels is produced during the transfer of the sheet into the horizontal plane, by the action of gluing nozzles located under the horizontal plane and aimed at the folding panels. The transfer is created by the displacement of mobile stops and also has the function of positioning the sheet above the box.
Advantageously, after the transfer of the sheet above the box:
a tool, previously placed above the box in its initial position, consists of a grasping plate equipped with suctions, and these suctions are put in contact with the sheet by a vertical translation movement of the tool towards the bottom in order to ensure a seating of the sheet;
the tool also consists of mobile arms, these mobile arms are approximately the same number as the total number of the folding panels of the sheet, and are positioned approximately facing each of the folding panels, the mobile arms each having a support plate, and the support plates are put in contact with the zone of the central part of the sheet located near each of the folding panels by the tool""s vertical translational movement towards the bottom;
pushing mechanisms are arranged around the sheet facing each of the folding panels and these pushing mechanisms are activated, from their position of rest, in order to obtain a fold of the folding panels;
the mobile arms also each have a support device equipped with a suction and, with the help of the support devices, a support of the folding panels is ensured after the fold; and
the pushing mechanisms are put into the resting position.
Advantageously, the box has been previously positioned on an elevator in order to insert the sheet into the box:
using this elevator, a lift of the box is ensured in a manner so that the upper surface of the stack of objects comes in contact with the lower side of the central part of the sheet;
the lift of the box also produces a lift of the tool in a manner so that the largest part of the lower side of the central part of the sheet is pinned against the upper surface of the stack of objects by the vertical force produced by the action of these support plates of the mobile arms on the central part, the vertical force can be generated by any appropriate mechanism such as tare weight of the mobile arms and the support plates, which can be displaced vertically relative to the grasping plate;
the supporting devices each have an activator, and the output of these activators is controlled, after the lift of the box, in order to fold up the folding panels, by pushing the supporting devices in a manner so that the glued side of the folding panels comes in contact with the four lateral sides of the box;
waiting is done until the drying of the dots or beads of glue, where the drying makes it possible to connect the sheet to the box;
the action of the suctions of the supporting devices is released and the return of the activators is controlled;
the action of the suctions of the grasping plate is released;
using the elevator, the bringing back down of the box and the sheet is ensured; and
the bringing back down of the box also produces the bringing back down of the tool until its initial position.
As a result of these operations, the sheet has been inserted inside the box, deformed, and pinned against the upper surface of the stack of objects, then connected solidly with the box by gluing of the folding panels of the sheet against the lateral sides of the box.
The fastening process according to the invention produces several advantages.
Thus, using the invention, the objects arranged inside the box are perfectly fastened using a sheet whose purchase and implementation are not very expensive and which does not lead to any particular restriction connected to the collection and the recycling of waste material generated by the destruction of the packaging after its use.
The invention presented involves moreover, a machine for inserting, inside a box composed of a bottom having a square or rectangular shape, and of four lateral sides, a cardboard sheet, corrugated cardboard or equivalent sheet material, where this sheet has a central part in a square or rectangular shape with dimensions that are approximately equivalent to those of the bottom of the box, consisting of, around the central part, and on at least two of its four sides, at least one and preferably several flexible folding panels and it is put into contact with the stack of objects arranged in the box and then connected solidly to this box.
This machine is characterized in that it consists of:
mechanisms for arranging, on the lower side of each of the folding panels, one or more dots or beads of glue, mechanisms for folding the folding panels and supporting mechanisms in a manner so that the non-glued side of the folding panels forms an angle less than 90 degrees with the upper side of the central part, before insertion of the sheet in the box;
mechanisms for inserting the sheet into the box, while deforming it, if need be, in a manner so that the inner side of the central part comes into contact with the stack of objects and fits approximately the shape of the upper surface of the stack of objects; and
mechanisms for folding up the folding panels in a manner so that their glued side comes in contact with the four lateral sides of the box.
In an advantageous embodiment mode, the machine consists of:
an inclined bin for the storage of the sheets in the form of the a stack of identical sheets and a mobile plate equipped with suctions that are positioned so as to make it possible to disconnect the sheet located on the lower part of the bin from the stack of sheets;
a horizontal plane of transfer consisting of several rails;
gluing nozzles located under the horizontal plane and aimed at the folding panels, for depositing the dots or beads of glue on the inner side of each of the folding panels during the transfer of the sheet into the horizontal plane; and
mobile stops to ensure the transfer of the sheet in the horizontal plane and the positioning of the sheet above the box.
Advantageously, the machine consists of a tool, previously arranged above the box in its initial position. This tool consists of:
a grasping plate equipped with suctions that are put in contact with the sheet by a vertical translation movement towards the bottom of the tool in order to ensure a seating of the sheet;
mobile arms of the same number as the total number of folding panels of the sheet, where the mobile arms are positioned approximately facing each of the folding sheets and each having a support plate that is in contact with the zone of the central part of the sheet located near each of the folding panels by the vertical translation movement towards the bottom of the tool;
supporting devices equipped with suctions for supporting the folding panels after the fold; and
activators, the output of which is controlled in order to fold the folding panels, by pushing the supporting devices, in a manner so that the glued side of the folding panels comes in contact with four lateral sides of the box.
Advantageously, the machine also consists of:
pushing mechanisms which are arranged around the sheet facing each of the folding panels and are activated, from their resting position, in order to create the fold of the folding panels; and
an elevator, which ensures a lift of the box and of the tool in a manner so that the largest part of the lower side of the central part of the sheet is deformed and pinned against the upper surface of the stack of objects by the vertical force produced by the action of the support plates of the mobile arms on the central part, the vertical force can be generated by any appropriate means such as the tare weight of the of the mobile arms and the support plates, which can be displaced vertically relative to the grasping plate.